Tag Archives: self-control

I was flipping through radio stations on my way home from Muncie tonight and caught a brief bit on talk radio about another athlete and coach in trouble for causing serious injury to other athletes because they lost their temper. Once again, I had to shake my head in disgust. It is less and less about a person maintaining self-control and discipline and more and more about getting what you want. It’s kind of sad, really, that men act like spoiled children, men who should be standing up to be leaders and role models. What are our children seeing when they look at their elders? Are they seeing someone who knows what it means to be responsible, what it means to hold strong values, what it means to be disciplined and in control of oneself at all times? Are they seeing someone they can respect, who can teach them what it means to grow up and be mature? Or are they seeing someone whose lifestyle says that it is alright to go after whatever you want, no matter what harm it may cause others?

What do they see in you? What do they see in me? Are we leading the next generation? Or are we expecting them to find their own way?

This will very likely be a shorter post than I would like, since it is late, my stomach is empty, and I have a good-sized headache — but I will see what I can do to stimulate some thinking.

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Tim Wilkins, former homosexual and founder of Cross Ministry, frequently points out that the opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality, but rather holiness. It follows in my mind that this can be said of everything, that the opposite of is not its logical opposite, but holiness.

I Peter 1:13 – 16 (NIV) — Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (emphasis added). Ephesians lays out further specifics of this principle.

I think we should be relieved. This, in some ways, makes it easier for us to live Christly. Instead of focusing on a list of do’s and don’ts, we can focus on what it means to be holy, what it means to be like Christ, our example of the Almighty. In the process, if we are striving to meet that goal of holiness, the do’s and don’ts have a way of taking care of themselves, via the work of the Holy Spirit.

You know that thing you’ve heard about liars’ eyes? How when you tell a lie, you look up and to the right because that’s what you do when you access the creative part of your brain? And how you look to the left when you’re being honest? Yeah, that’s a myth. I’ve seen it pop up a lot in various stories and TV shows, and it bugs the heck out of me every single time. How’s about we do a little research next time, hm? Stop perpetuating this and other body language myths, ‘cuz they’re flat-out wrong and carry with them potential real-world consequences.

Ok, folks, if you’re going request a WordPress design, your posting needs to be longer than, “Design and some coding and app application.” Seriously, could you be any less specific? Add to that a budget that’s $100 at maximum, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to have your request ignored by any designer with any kind of sense. This is one of those times where going minimalistic works to your disadvantage.

Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of Words

Who I Am

I maintain interests in a wide variety of areas. I am an avid storyteller, specializing in (dark) speculative fiction and webcomics. I am also a professional code wrangler and dabble in amateur photography.